Now the man Moses was very meek above all men which were upon the
face of the earth.

2.Jesus
Christ (Matt. 11:29; 21:5; II Cor. 10:1)

Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

B.We have
been told to follow in the steps of these great men and be meek also.

1.Matthew 5:5

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

2.James 3:13

Who is a wise man endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out
of a good conver-sation his works with meekness and wisdom.

3.Galatians
5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meek-ness, temperance: against such there is no law.

C.Meekness is
difficult to define and apply. We will attempt to do this in our lesson
tonight.

I.THE
DEFINITION OF MEEKNESS

A.When we
think of meekness, weakness is often associated with the word.

1.Some see
meekness as a feeble old man who quietly takes his place in the corner of a
room never bothering anyone.

2.Others will
often define it using the term humility.

B.What
meekness is not:

1.Although
closely associated with humility, it is not humility (Col. 3:12).

Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.

2.It is not
the complete absence of anger (Matt. 21:12-13).

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that
sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of moneychangers, and
the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them, It is written, My house
shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

3.It does not
involve overlooking or compromising with error (Matt. 15:1-3).

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem,
saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they
wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them,
Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition.

C.How is
meekness defined?

1.One who is
willing to submit to the authority of a superior

2.One who is
inwardly strong and confident

3.Tender strength
under control (like a stallion that has been tamed)

D.Meekness is
displayed in our relationships with both God and man.

E.Humility
comes before meekness.

1.Humility
involves the proper view of self.

2.It is the
opposite of PRIDE that has “I” right in the center of things.

3.Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to
think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4.Meekness
springs from humility. Without humility, one cannot be meek.

5.Both of the
persons who are called meek in the Bible were also humble.

a.Moses (Exo.
3:11)

And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

b.Jesus
(Phil. 2:5-8)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being
in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

II.THE
DEMONSTRATION OF MEEKNESS

A.We have
already noted that Moses and Jesus were said to be meek men. Surely we can see
meekness demonstrated in their lives.

B.One willing
to submit to the authority of another.

1.When Moses
was called, he heeded the command to return to Egypt as Israel’s deliverer
(Exo. 4:19-20).

And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for
all the men are dead which sought thy life. And Moses took his wife and sons,
and set them on an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took
the rod of God in his hand.

2.Jesus
always sought to do the will of God (John 6:38).

For I came down from heaven, not do to mine own will, but the will
of him that sent me.

C.One who is
inwardly strong and confident.

1.Moses
displayed this constantly in the wilderness.

2.Jesus
displayed this during His trials and crucifixion.

D.Tender
strength under control.

1.When Moses
came down from Mt. Sinai, the children of Israel were involved in heinous
sins. Moses “anger waxed hot” and he broke the two tables “beneath the mount”
(Exo. 32:19). Yet, he also prayed for the people’s forgiveness (Exo. 32:32).

Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin: and if not, blot me, I pray
thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

2.Jesus

a.Earlier we
saw Jesus in the temple. He cleansed it, but he did not hurt anyone in the
process. He only rebuked them for their transgressions.

b.During the
hours of the crucifixion, Jesus remained calm and never lashed out at His
persecutors.

1)I Peter
2:23

Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

2)He also
prayed for his tormentors (Luke 23:34).

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they
do…

III.THE DISPLAY
OF MEEKNESS

A.In order to
be right with God, we must be meek.

1.Psalm 25:9

…and the meek will he teach his way.

2.To receive
the Word of God, we must be meek (James 1:21).

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls.

3.A look at
the beatitudes (Matt. 5:3-6).

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs in the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are
the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger
and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

a.Poor in
spirit – proper view of self

b.Mourn –
audible weeping over spiritual condition

c.Meek – a
submissive spirit

d.Seek
righteousness – one must obey God’s plan of salvation

B.We must
display meekness toward others.

1.Several
verses set forth the time when meekness should be manifested.

a.When
restoring the erring (Gal. 6:2)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou
also be tempted.

b.In our
endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4:1-3)

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and
meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

c.When
teaching others the gospel (II Tim. 2:24-25)

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging
of the truth.

d.A believing
wife’s life before her husband (I Pet. 3:4)

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not
corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the
sight of God of great price.

e.When we
give an answer to another when asked about our precious hope (I Pet. 3:15).

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear.

2.Each of
these situations can be pressure-filled. The sinners and unbelievers can demonstrate
actions that truly challenge the child of God. We must practice meekness. We
must be inwardly strong and confident, but outwardly display strength under
control.

a.Harsh
versus gentle

b.Lashing out
versus patient

c.Coercion
versus persuasion

d.Rudeness versus
kindness

e.Offensive
versus thoughtful

f.Disdain
versus respect

3.Example:
James and John (Luke 9:51-56, esp. v. 54).

And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord,
wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even
as Elias did?

CONCLUSION

A.Meekness
also has dividends:

1.The meek
shall eat and be satisfied (Ps. 22:26).

2.The meek
shall inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11; Matt. 5:5).

3.The Lord
lifteth up the meek (Ps. 147:6).

B.Zephaniah
2:3

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his
judgment; seek righteous-ness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the
day of the Lord’s anger.